HUMAN

Name: Loren Gerrety

Age: 52
Residence: Anchorage, Alaska
Occupation: Aircraft Mechanic.

Years involved with Iditarod: 5 years

Iditarod Role: I’m a director of maintenance for the Iditarod Air Force.
Current Location: McGrath, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 11, 2020
Temperature: -10F/Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved the Iditarod back in the early ‘80s, selling aircraft parts to the Iditarod Air Force at the time. Knowing all the pilots, and one of the pilots, Bert Hansen, who is now the director of operations, five years ago asked if I would be able to help out on the Air Force for maintenance, and I’ve been volunteering ever since.

What is your Why?..Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?

I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because I enjoy the people, and everybody makes it a good time, and everybody has a great time doing it.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences is changing a muffler at about 20 below in McGrath, having problems with parts fitting, and asking the locals for help and everybody was bending over backwards to get the airplane going. The community really jumps up and makes an effort to help everybody out.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is what’s going to happen is going to happen, and the best you can do is enjoy it and do the best you can.